Creasing mechanism for blankmaking machines



C. D. KNOWLTON I CREASING MECHANISM FOR BLANK MAKING MACHINES May 3, 1938.-

Filed Aug. 27, 1936 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 y 3, 9 I c. D. KNOWLTON 2,115,724

CREASING MECHANISM FOR BLANK MAKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 27, 1936 I 2 sh ets-sheet 2 Patented May 3, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CREASING MECHANISM FOR BLANK- MAKING MACHINES Cutler D. Knowlton, Beverly, Mass., assignor to Hoague-Sprague Corporation, Lynn, corporation of Massachusetts Mass, a

Application August 27, 1936, Serial No. 98,109

19 Claims.

This invention relates to machines by which are made blanks intended for the formation of such articles as boxes, it concerning especially mechanism by which the blanks are creased to facilitate their folding.

, In carrying out the continuous-production method of making box-blanks from web-material, it is customary to crease the material both transversely of the web and longitudinally to provide for the folding of the box-walls at the ends and sides. In Letters Patent oi the United States No. 2,035,553, Knowlton, March 31, 1936, is described and claimed a mechanism especially designed for transverse creasing, and in which power is positively applied to web-engaging members to produce a pinch-crease without depending upon the resistance ofi'ered by the material to obtain the creasing action. The present invention has. as an object the application of this power-creasing effect to the formation of the longitudinal creases, together with the provision of a capacity for adjustment as to the time and force of the pinch. To this end, I mount upon elongated supports or carrier-bars, movable longitudinally and toward and from opposite sides of an advancing web of blank-material, an inner creasing member or blade and outer members or blades co-operating with the opposite sides of the inner member, the outer members being provided with a movable actuating member by which they are moved upon their support. This actuating member applies the power which pinches the material between the inner and outer members to produce the crease. Means is preferably furnished whereby there may be varied both the extent of movement of the actuating member and the time in the operating cycle at which it occurs to control the creasing effect. In the particular embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to disclose herein there are primary and secondary actuating members movable upon the support for the outer blades. One of these actuating members assumes the form of a sliding bar, while the other is a lever engaging said bar to move it. The supports are carried by opposite pairs of rotatable members, preferably furnished by cranks, and with one of these rotatable members is movable an element which operates upon the lever. This element may be variable in position upon the crank, it thereby altering the movement of the actuating members to govern the creasing force. The lever may have a sectional arm, the positioning of the section engaged by the crank element controlling the time at which said force is applied to the material. While, as previously indicated, this invention is particularly directed to the formation of longitudinal creasesin Webmaterial, it is to be understood that, as to certain phases, it is equally applicable to transverse creasing and also to operating upon discrete 5 blanks.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one form of the invention,

Fig. 1 shows my improved creasing mechanism in broken side elevation as a part of a blankmaking machine;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical transverse section,

and

Fig. 3, ,a partial, top'plan view of one end of thelower carrier-bar and the elements mounted upon it. 7

A blank-making machine in which this invention may be included is made the subject of Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,988,451, KnQWlton January 22, 1935. In opposite,ex- 20 tended side-frames I0, I!) of this apparatus pairs of upper and lower shafts I2, I2 and l4, l4, respectively, are journaled upon, opposite sides of the path of a continuously traveling composite web W of blank-material which is being operated upon. The shafts are rotated in opposite directions by gearing G, the material traveling from right to left as viewed in Fig. 1. Each shaft has two crank-portions l6 and I8 spaced across the machine to produce the creasing action along two parallel lines. The cranks upon the upper and lower shafts at eachside of the machine are 180 apart, so upper and lower supports or carrier-bars 20 and 22 mounted upon the cranks and extending longitudinally of the web are caused to approach and recede from each other alternatelyas the shafts rotate. This produces a crease-section in the web as it is advancing, and then said web is released and the bars retracted in preparation for the production of the succeeding crease-section. The cranks for each bar have the" same angular relation to maintain the bars substantially parallelto the web, but the cranks upon the same shaft are separated by 90" so the creases at the opposite sides of the web will be made at difierent times.

The creasing instrumentalities at opposite sides of the machine are similarly arranged, and but one will be described. The carrier-bar 20 has adjustably secured upon it in a manner to be described later, an' elongated mounting-block 24 in which is clamped an inner creasing blade 26 between holder-bars 28. Thecarrier-bar 22 has a similarly adjusted mounting-block 30 which carries two outer creasing blades: 32, 32 00- 55 operating with the opposite sides of the blade 26. The arrangement of these blades 26 may be substantially the same as that of the corresponding blades in Patent No. 2,035,553, above referred to. Briefly, it may be said that they pivot at their lower edges upon the block 30, and that their opposite or upper edges are reduced to effectively pinch the material. Each blade is backed by a bar 34 guided for longitudinal movement in the block 36, these bars being preferably joined to move as a unit. In the bars and blades are pairs of registering cam-depressions 36, each pair receiving a connecting ball 38. Longitudinal movement of the compound bar 34 will, under the infiuence of inclined walls of the depressions, cause the blades 32 to be forced toward each other against the expansive force of interposed separating springs 40 and pinch the material against the inner blade 26 to form a crease-section. The bar 34 may be considered as a primary actuating member for the outer blades.

Turning to the features peculiar to the present invention, the bar 22 has movable upon it an actuating member for the blades 32. This may consist of a bell-crank-lever L fulcrumed at 42 upon one extremity of the bar. The lever has an upwardly extending arm 44 contacting with the connection between the two portions of the actuating bar 34. An opening through this arm may receive a screw 46 threaded into the bar, a nut 41 upon said screw limiting the outward movement of the lever-arm. An arm 48 extends downwardly from the fulcrum of the lever L and then outwardly and has attached to ing mechanism is as follows.

its end by slot-and-screw connections 56 a terminal-section 52 which projects horizontally beneath the hub of the adjacent crank-portion [6. The forward extremity of the section 52 has attached to its upper face a piece 54 provided with downwardly diverging contact-surfaces 56, 56. The lever L constitutes a secondary actuating member for thebars 32, and to it the power of the machine is transmitted by a contact member 58 carried by the hub of the crank-arm and movable in the rotation of the crank against the contact-piece 54. The member 58 has inclined surfaces 60, 60 corresponding to the surfaces 56, 56 of the piece 54 and for successively engaging these. This member 58 is shown as cylindrical and variable in position vertically in a bore in the crank-hub. It is fixed to project to different distances from the crank by a screw 62 threaded through the hub and bearing against a flattened surface 64 upon the member. An abutment-screw 66 threaded into a passage 68 in the crank backs the member 58 to prevent its accidental displacement.

The action of this longitudinal power-creas- As best shown in Fig. 2, the opposite, forward and respectively downward and upward travel of the bars 26 and 22 causes the inner creasing blade 26 to be received between the outer blades 32. Preferably just at the time of maximum approach or immediately thereafter, the contact member 58 in the rotation of the crank reaches the contact-piece 54 of the lever L, turning said lever about its fulcrum 42. The lever-arm 44 is thereby urged against the actuating bar 34, which is shifted along the blades 32, causing the balls 38 and the walls of the depressions 36 to cam in the blades. The web-material is consequently pinched against the sides of the blade 26 to problades. Immediately thereafter, the contact member 53 passes the piece 54, releasing the lever, which will be returned to its normal position against the nut 4'! by the force of the barsprings 40 or by an auxiliary spring (not illustrated) acting directly upon the lever. The creasing instrumentalities will recede from each other, and when the advancing web reaches the point at which the succeeding crease-section is to be made, they again come into co-operation. It may be desired to alter the force applied by the blades 32 in pinching the material and also to alter the time in the operating cycle at which the creasing effect is initiated. The first may vary with the character of the material operated upon, and the second will insure freedom from straining the laminae of said material or will give different degrees of separating action thereon. Since the extent of projection of the member 58 beyond the crank-hub will govern the throw of the lever L, and consequently the effect of the bars 34 uponthe blades 32, this adjustment gives the desired pressure. The time at which the member acts upon the lever will depend upon the relation of the lever-arm-section 52 to the member 58, as determined by the connection 56. Thus, the timing of the pinching effect may be controlled.

To allow the mechanism to form the creases in different positions transversely of the web, the mounting-blocks 24 and 30 are preferably adjustable transversely of their bars and 22, respectively. The adjusting means may be the same for each block. Considering the block 24, it is held against a surface 10 upon the under side of its bar 20 between side-walls i2, 12 upon the block by screws 14 passing through openings near the opposite ends of the bar and each engaging either of two threaded bores 16 in the block. Each screw is movable along a transverse slot 18 in the bar to permit the shifting of the block across the surface 16. By applying the screws 14 to one or the other of the pairs of bores 16, the extent of movement of the screws in the limited space available is reduced for the extent of adjustment sought. To facilitate the movement of the block and to aid in locking it in place, screws 80, 80 are threaded through the walls 12, 12 at each extremity of the block to bear against the opposite vertical faces. To avoid undue outward extension of these screws 80, they may be of different lengths and interchangeable when the connection of the screws 14 in the bores 16 is changed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, elongated supports with their maximum dimension extending in the direction of web-advance and movable longitudinally of and toward and from said web at opposite sides thereof, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, these creasing members extending longitudinally of their supports, and a movable actuating member by which the outer creasing members are moved upon their support.

2. In a machine for forming blanks from ad vancing web-material, supports movable longitudinally of and toward and from the web at opposite sides thereof, said supports being elongated in the direction of movement, aninner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, a movable actuating member by which the outer creasing members are moved upon their support, and means arranged to vary the extent of movement of the actuating member.

3. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, supports movable longitudinally of and toward and from theweb at opposite sides thereof, said supportsbeing elongated in the direction of movement, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation' with the opposite sides of the inner member, a movable actuating member by which the outer creasing members are moved upon their support, and means arranged to vary the time in the operating cycle at which the movement of the actuating member occurs.

4. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, supports movable longitudinally of and toward and from the web at opposite sides thereof, said supports-being elongated in the direction of movement, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon'the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, and an actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the support therewith.

5. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, elongated supports with their maximum dimension extending in the direction. of web-advance and movable longitudinally of and toward and from said web at opposite sides thereof, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, these creasing members extending longitudinally of their supports, a primary actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the support therewith, and a secondary actuating member movable upon the support in engagement with the primary member.

6. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, elongated supports with their maximum dimension extending in the direction of web-advance and movable longitudinally of and toward and from said web at opposite sides thereof, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, these creasing members extending longitudinally of their supports, a primary actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the support therewith, a secondary actuating member movable upon the support in engagement with the primary member, and means for transmitting the power of the machine to the secondary member to efiect its movement.

7. In a machine for forming blanks from advancing web-material, elongated supports with their maximum dimension extending in the direction of web-advance and movable longitudinally of and toward and from said web at opposite sides thereof, an inner creasing member extending along one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for co-operation with the opposite sides of the inner member, these creasing members extending longitudinally of their supports, a movable actuating member by which the outer creasing members are moved upon their support, and means acting in the movement of said support moving the'actuating member.

8. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, an inner creasing member carried by one support, outer creasing members movable upon theother support for cooperation with the opposite sides of the inner member, a primary actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the support therewith, and a secondary actuating member movable upon. the support relatively to and in engagement with the primary member.

9. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, an inner creasing member carried by one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for cooperation with the opposite'sides of the inner member, a primary actuating member for the outer'creasing membersmovable upon the support therewith, a-secondary actuating member movable upon the support in engagement with the primary member, and means-arranged to vary the extent of movement of the secondary member.

10. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, an inner creasing member carried by one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for cooperation with the opposite sides of the inner member, a primary actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the sup-' port therewith, a secondary actuating member movable upon the support in engagement with the primary member, and means arranged to vary the time in the operating cycle at which the movement of the secondary actuating member occurs.

11. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, an inner creasing member carried by one support, outer creasing members movable upon the other support for cooperation with the opposite sides of the inner member, a primary actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon the sup port therewith, a secondary actuating member movable upon the support in engagement with the primary member, and means for transmitting the power of the machine to the secondary member to efi'ect its movement upon the support.

12. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite pairs of rotatable members, opposite supports carried by the members, an inner creasing member mounted upon one support, outer creasing members movable upon the opposite support for co-operation with opposite sides of the inner member, an actuating bar for the outer creasing members movable upon their support, and means including an element mounted upon one of the rotatable members for movement independently of the bar for imparting its movement to said bar.

13. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite pairs of rotatable members, opposite supports carried by the members, an inner creasing member mounted upon one support, outer creasing members movable upon the opposite support for co-operation with opposite sides of the inner member, an actuating member for the outer creasing members movable upon their support, means including an element carried by one of the rotatable members for moving the actuating member, and means arranged to vary the position of said element upon the rotatable member.

14. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, creasing blades carried by the supports, one of the blades being movable upon its support, an actuating bar sliding upon the support for the movable blade, and an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the support with the bar and having a portion arranged for engagement by an element movable under the power of the machine and a portion engaging said bar to move it.

15. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, creasing blades carried by the supports, one of the blades being movable upon its support, an actuating bar sliding upon the support for the movable blade, and an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the support with the bar and engaging said bar to move it, the lever being formed in sections adjustable as to their relative position to thereby vary the time of action of the lever upon the bar.

16. Creasing mechanism comprising opposite, relatively movable supports, means for producing such movement, creasing blades carried by the supports, one of the blades being movable upon its support, an actuating bar sliding upon the support for the movable blade, an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the support with the bar and engaging said bar to move it, and means movable with such movement-producing means for oscillating the lever.

17. Creasing mechanism comprising upper and lower shafts provided with cranks, spaced bars mounted upon the cranks, creasing blades carried by the bars, one of the blades being movable upon its bar, an actuating member for the movable blade sliding upon its bar, an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the bar with the actuating member and engaging said member, and means movable with one of the cranks for oscillating the lever.

18. Creasing mechanism comprising upper and lower shafts provided with cranks, spaced bars mounted upon the cranks, creasing blades carried by the bars, one of the blades being movable upon its bar, an actuating member for the movable blade sliding upon its bar, an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the bar with the actuating member and engaging said member, and a member variable in position upon one of the cranks and engaging the lever.

19. Creasing mechanism comprising upper and lower shafts provided with cranks, spaced bars mounted upon the cranks, creasing blades carried by the bars, one of the blades being movable upon its bar, an actuating member for the movable blade sliding upon its bar, an actuating lever fulcrumed upon the bar with the actuating member and engaging said member, the lever having an arm provided with an adjustable section, and means movable with one of the cranks for engagement with said adjustable section.

CUTLER D. KNOWLTON. 

